Condiment-holder.



H. J. MOWILLIAMS.

GONDIMENT HOLDER.

APPLIOATION FILED JUNE 11, 1908.

909,202, Patented Jan. 12, 1909.

barren srrirns narrator enrich.

HARRY J. MGWILLIAMS, OF MARTINS FERRY, OHIO.

CONDIMENT-HOLDEB.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HARRYJ. lvicl VILLIAMs, a citizen of the United States, residing at Martins Ferry, in the county of Belmont and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Condiment-Holders, of which the following is a specification.

This invention contemplates certain new and useful improvements in condiment holders, and the object of the invention is an improved top which is designed Jarticularly for use upon salt-cellars or vessels of a similar character, and which embodies peculiar means whereby it may be adjusted to close the vessel air-tight or to regulate the number and extent of the perforations of the top, so as to control the passage of the condiment therethrough.

With this and other objects in View that will more fully appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists in certain constructions and arrangements of the parts that I shall hereinafter fully describe, and then point out the novel features thereof in the appended claim.

For a full understanding of the invention and the merits thereof, and to acquire a knowledge of the details of construction, ref erence is to be had to the following description and accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is an enlarged sectional view of a vessel equipped with my improved top, showing the latter in open position; Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the top entirely closed Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the top, showing the slits registering throughout their length; Fig. 4 is a similar view showing the outer cap in a reverse position and the slits entirely closed; Fig. 5 is a top plan view showing the outer cap in an intermediate position and the slits partially registering; Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the outer cap detached; Fig. 7 is a similar view showing the inner cap applied to a vessel.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in all the views of the drawing, by the same reference characters.

My improved top is applied to a vessel 1 which is of any desired construction or design and which, in the present instance, is formed with a relatively short neck 2 that is exteriorly threaded to permit the top to be detachably secured thereto. My improved top consists of superposed outer and inner caps 3 and 4, the inner cap being preferably Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed June 11, 1908.

Patented Jan. 12, 1909.

Serial No. 437,982.

threaded as indicated. at 5 and arranged for engagement with the threads of the neck of the vessel. The outer cap 3 is attached to the inner cap 4 in any suitable manner so that it is securely held upon said inner cap, and yet may be freely rotated relatively thereto. These caps are formed with corresponding series of transverse chord-like and substantially parallel slits 6 that are allarranged at different distances from the centers of the caps. By this arrangement, it will be observed that when the outer cap 3 is rotated to assume the position indicated in Figs. 1 and 3, the corresponding slits 6 in the respective caps will register throughout their length as shown, so as to permit the top to be opened to its greatest extent and allow the condiment to flow freely therethrough when the vessel is inverted. When it is desired to close the vessel entirely, the outer cap is rotated to assume a reverse position, as illustrated in Figs. 2 and 4, and as all of the slits 6 are placed at difi erent distances from the centers of the caps, none of said slits will register when the caps are in this relative position, and the vessel will be closed air-tight and thus protect the contents thereof from dust or moisture which would obviously have a detrimental effect thereon. Byturning the outer cap into an intermediate position between the positions just described, the slits in the respective caps will intersect or register at various points throughout their length, so as to constitute perforations through which the condiment may escape. The number and extent of these perforations obviously may be regulated by moving the outer cap between the open and closed positions, and by this arrangement, the flow of the condiment through the top of the vessel may be easily and conveniently controlled.

From the above description, in connection with the accompanying drawing, it will be apparent that I have provided a simple, durable and eflicient construction of top for condiment holders which may be readily applied to the condiment holders in ordinary use, which may be quickly and easily adjusted to positively close the vessel or regulate the number and extent of the openings in the top, and which consists of comparatively few parts that may be easily and cheaply manufactured so as to be placed upon the market at a reasonable price not too great to prevent the general adoption of the device.

It will be noted that when the upper cap is turned into an 0 en position so that the slits 1 6 register throug iout their length, a knife or similar object may be readily inserted through said slits into the vessel to break up the contents, in case it has become hardened therein, and also to remove any of the condliment that may have become lodged in the s its.

Having thus described the invention, What I claim is:

A top of the character described, com rising superposed concentric caps, one of W ich is arranged for independent rotary movement relative to the other, said'caps being 15 formed with corresponding series of substantially parallel chord-like slits that are unequally spaced from the centers of the caps as and for the purpose specified.

In testimony whereof I aflix my. signature 

